I'm taking you up on your offer, here is a second reading for you! :o) It's part 8.
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`Master knows,' said Gollum with a sidelong glance at Frodo. `Yes, he knows. We will promise Master, if he saves us. We'll promise to It, yes.' He crawled to Frodo's feet. 'Save us, nice Master! ' he whined. `Sméagol promises to Precious, promises faithfully. Never come again, never speak, no never! No, precious, no!' `Are you satisfied? ' said Faramir. `Yes,' said Frodo. 'At least, you must either accept this promise or carry out your law. You will get no more. But I promised that if he came to me, he should not be harmed. And I would not be proved faithless.'
Faramir sat for a moment in thought. `Very good,' he said at last. `I surrender you to your master, to Frodo son of Drogo. Let him declare what he will do with you! ' 'But, Lord Faramir,' said Frodo bowing, `you have not yet declared your will concerning the said Frodo, and until that is made known, he cannot shape his plans for himself or his companions. Your judgement was postponed until the morning; but that is now at hand.' `Then I will declare my doom,' said Faramir. `As for you, Frodo, in so far as lies in me under higher authority, I declare you free in the realm of, Gondor to the furthest of its ancient bounds; save only that neither you nor any that go with you have leave to come to this place unbidden. This doom shall stand for a year and a day, and then cease, unless you shall before that term come to Minas Tirith and present yourself to the Lord and Steward of the City. Then I will entreat him to confirm what I have done and to make it lifelong. In the meantime, whomsoever you take under your protection shall be under my protection and under the shield of Gondor. Are you answered? ' Frodo bowed low. 'I am answered,' he said, `and I place myself at your service, if that is of any worth to one so high and honourable.' `It is of great worth,' said Faramir. 'And now, do you take this creature, this Sméagol, under your protection? ' `I do take Sméagol under my protection,' said Frodo. Sam sighed audibly; and not at the courtesies, of which, as any hobbit would, he thoroughly approved. Indeed in the Shire such a matter would have required a great many more words and bows. 'Then I say to you,' said Faramir, turning to Gollum, 'you are under doom of death; but while you walk with Frodo you are safe for our part. Yet if ever you be found by any man of Gondor astray without him, the doom shall fall. And may death find you swiftly, within Gondor or without, if you do not well serve him. Now answer me: whither would you go? You were his guide, he says. Whither were you leading him? ' Gollum made no reply.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2015-10-25 12:07 pm (UTC)------------------
`Master knows,' said Gollum with a sidelong glance at Frodo. `Yes, he knows. We will promise Master, if he saves us. We'll promise to It, yes.' He crawled to Frodo's feet. 'Save us, nice Master! ' he whined. `Sméagol promises to Precious, promises faithfully. Never come again, never speak, no never! No, precious, no!'
`Are you satisfied? ' said Faramir.
`Yes,' said Frodo. 'At least, you must either accept this promise or carry out your law. You will get no more. But I promised that if he came to me, he should not be harmed. And I would not be proved faithless.'
Faramir sat for a moment in thought. `Very good,' he said at last. `I surrender you to your master, to Frodo son of Drogo. Let him declare what he will do with you! '
'But, Lord Faramir,' said Frodo bowing, `you have not yet declared your will concerning the said Frodo, and until that is made known, he cannot shape his plans for himself or his companions. Your judgement was postponed until the morning; but that is now at hand.'
`Then I will declare my doom,' said Faramir. `As for you, Frodo, in so far as lies in me under higher authority, I declare you free in the realm of, Gondor to the furthest of its ancient bounds; save only that neither you nor any that go with you have leave to come to this place unbidden. This doom shall stand for a year and a day, and then cease, unless you shall before that term come to Minas Tirith and present yourself to the Lord and Steward of the City. Then I will entreat him to confirm what I have done and to make it lifelong. In the meantime, whomsoever you take under your protection shall be under my protection and under the shield of Gondor. Are you answered? '
Frodo bowed low. 'I am answered,' he said, `and I place myself at your service, if that is of any worth to one so high and honourable.'
`It is of great worth,' said Faramir. 'And now, do you take this creature, this Sméagol, under your protection? '
`I do take Sméagol under my protection,' said Frodo. Sam sighed audibly; and not at the courtesies, of which, as any hobbit would, he thoroughly approved. Indeed in the Shire such a matter would have required a great many more words and bows.
'Then I say to you,' said Faramir, turning to Gollum, 'you are under doom of death; but while you walk with Frodo you are safe for our part. Yet if ever you be found by any man of Gondor astray without him, the doom shall fall. And may death find you swiftly, within Gondor or without, if you do not well serve him. Now answer me: whither would you go? You were his guide, he says. Whither were you leading him? ' Gollum made no reply.